🇮🇹 May 2026: Monumental Cemetery Tour of Italy
Come experience art, history & symbolism with me in a small group tour!
🇮🇹 You’re Invited: Join Me in Italy!
Monumental Cemeteries as Open-Air Museums
May 19–29, 2026
If you’ve ever felt drawn to historic cemeteries to explore their art, symbolism, history, and humanity, then I invite you to join me in Italy!
In May 2026, I return to Italy for the third time to work as a Cemetery Symbolism Guide where I’ll lead a small, thoughtful group through some of Italy’s most extraordinary monumental cemeteries. These burial grounds truly are among the greatest open-air museums in the world.
But don’t just take my word for it: the first people to sign up for this tour were travelers from my most recent Italy cemetery journey.
“So fantastic. My sister and I were asking about the next tour on our way back to the airport!”— Pat R.
🪦 Cemeteries as Open-Air Museums
Italy’s Monumental Cemteries are astonishing.
You’ll encounter:
Marble angels and allegorical figures
Mausoleums that resemble temples and palaces
Symbols layered with spiritual, philosophical, and cultural meaning
Stories of love, grief, ambition, faith, families, and remembrance carved in stone
These are burial grounds where beauty and meaning coexist, and where every detail rewards slow looking.
🔍 What This Tour Is Really Like
Once again, I’ll be joining Lisa Statkus of Gryphon Art Holidays to help reveal the often-hidden meanings behind the hundreds of symbols scattered throughout these cemeteries.
As Lisa describes our tours:
“It’s a treasure hunt unlike any you have ever been on.”
She’s right.
Together, we’ll find ourselves:
Scouting for mysterious imagery and architectural motifs
Decoding symbolism you might otherwise walk right past
Comparing notes, photos, sketches, and discoveries as we go
Enjoying the occasional cemetery picnic
Spending time with a group of
You can wander at your own pace… or stick close to me so you can ask questions along the way.
🗺️ Our 10-day Journey Through Italy
Over 10 days, we’ll explore some of Italy’s most iconic cemetery landscapes.
Our route:
Florence → Pisa → Genoa → Turin → Milan → Bologna → back to Florence
Along the way, we’ll visit both grand monumental cemeteries and smaller, quieter gems, including Florence’s evocative English Cemetery.
🚐 Travel, Comfort & Pace
This is immersive travel, not rushed sightseeing.
Here’s what that looks like:
Air-conditioned vans with professional drivers
Short driving days (1 to 2.5 hours max)
Drop-off & pickup directly at the sites, so there’s no transportation hassles
Clean, comfortable accommodations
All breakfasts (plus some lunches and dinners) are included
A fluent Italian speaker (Lisa!) with us throughout, making logistics, local interactions, and day-to-day travel smooth and stress-free
There is also time built in to relax, reflect, and perhaps enjoy an Aperol Spritz or glass of wine while comparing discoveries with new friends.
💜Who This Tour Is For
This journey is perfect for anyone who loves:
Cemeteries & funerary art
Sculpture, symbolism & history
Italy (of course)
We welcome taphophiles, history buffs, art lovers, writers, photographers, and curious travelers of all stripes.
Definitely bring your camera, and comfortable walking shoes. You may also want to bring along a sketchbook or journal.
Past travelers often tell me they came for the cemeteries… and left with new friendships, fresh perspectives, and a deeper way of seeing the world.
Many of them come back again.
📅 Join Us in May 2026
Italy’s Monumental Cemeteries Tour
May 19–29, 2026
Small group • Expert-led • Thoughtful & immersive
👉 Click here for full tour details & registration:
Italy’s Monumental Cemeteries Tour – May 19–29, 2026
If you’ve ever wanted to experience cemeteries as open-air museums—rich with art, history, and meaning—I invite you to join us.
I’d love to walk these remarkable places with you.
~💀 💜Tui
Can the dove statue be explained?